Convertible car.



No. 736,941. PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903.

- H. W. COVERT.

CONVERTIBLE GAR. AEPLIOATION FILED mm: 19. 1903.

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CONVERTIBLE GAR. APPLIOATIONPILED JUNE 19. 1903. no MODEL. 5 SHEETS-SHEET z.

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PATENTED AUG. 25, 1903. H. W. COVERT. CONVERTIBLE GAR.

APPLIOATIOK FILED JUNE. 19, 1903.

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CONVERTIBLE GAR. APPLICATION FILED TUNE 19, 1903- H0 MODEL.

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Patented August 25, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY W. COVERT, OF WATERFORD, NEW YORK.

CONVERTIBLE CAR.

'EPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 736,941, dated August 25, 1903. Application filed June 19,1903. Serial No. 162,202. (No model.)

To CLZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY V. COVERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waterford, county of Saratoga, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Convertible Cars, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements and consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Referencemay be had to the accompanying drawings and the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures.

Figure l of the drawings is a view in side elevation, partly broken away, of my improved convertible car. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the same,taken on the broken line 2 2 in Fig. 1, with the side doors closed and the panels lowered on one side and the panels raised on the other side. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of one of the seats,taken on the broken line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-section of the car, taken on the broken line 4 4 in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a view in perspective, on an enlarged scale, showing a portion of the floor, door, and doorlocking slide-bar, illustrating the manner in which the doors are locked. Fig. 6 is a View, on an enlarged scale, of the lower end of one of the pockets adapted to receive the panels when raised. Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-section of the same, taken on the broken line 7 7 in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a view, on an enlarged scale, in vertical cross-section, taken on the broken line 8 8 in Fig. 1, illustrating the joint formed by the meeting edges of the two sashes. Fig. 9 is a view, onan enlarged scale, showing in side elevation a portion of one of the vertical posts, a-portion of the sash located in the slideway in said post, and brake mechanism on said sash. Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-section of the sash, taken on the broken line 10 Fig. 11 is a vertical cross-section of the sash and post, taken on the broken line 11 11 in Fig. 9. Fig. 12 is a View similar to Fig. 4, showing a diiferent arrangement of seats.

My invention relates to the class of cars provided with side openings formed between vertical side posts or ribs adapted to support movable members for closing said openings at certain times, as in cold or inclement weather, means being provided for disposing of said members to leave open the spaces between the side posts when an open car is desired.

The principal objects of this invention are to facilitate the disposal, when an open car is desired,of the movable side members, and in this connection to avoid heavily Weighting the overhead portion of the car, and to provide seats the capacity of which can be varied as occasion requires.

Other objects will appear in connection with the following description.

In carrying'out my invention in its preferredform I employ for closing the lower portions of the side openings horizontally-swinging doors and for closing the upper portions thereof vertically-sliding panels.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the floor, and 2 the roof, of the car, which are connected together at intervals by the vertical side posts or ribs 3 in the usual manner, forming between said posts side openings which can be used for the entrance and exit of passengers. From the lintel 4downwardly about half-way to the floor 2 these side openings extendfrom post to post and are adapted to be closed by glazed panels 5, fitting and movable along grooves 6 in the posts, in the manner shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 698,259, dated April 22, 1902, granted to me forimprovement-s in convertible cars. As set forth in said patent, the panels 5, of which there are preferably two for each side opening in the present car, can be moved upwardly along the slidewaygrooves and deflected into the pocket 7, subjacent to the car-roof.

- Below the space closed'by the sliding panels the car-body is provided with side wallsections 8, built around the respective posts, alternating with side openings of equal width therebetween, adapted to be closed, respectively, by the doors 9, each hinged along one of its vertical edges to one of said side wallsections and adapted to swing horizontally across the neighboring opening to close the same or outwardly against the side wall-section to which it is hinged when it is desired to leave said opening unobstructed for the use of passengers. Each of said doors is provided with a pair of locking-plates 10, depending from its lower end on opposite sides, adapted to be engaged, one when the door is open and the other when the door is closed, by hooks 12 on the locking-bar 13, which is mounted upon the outer side of the sill of the car by means of bolts 1t, inserted through elongated slots 15 in the bar, whereby said bar can be reciprocated longitudinally to cause said hooks to interlock with the respective locking-plates to lock the doors in either the open or closed position. Such a locking-bar 13 is provided on each side of the car, adapted to simultaneously lock or simultaneously unlock all the doors on that side.

Reciprocating sliding movements can be imparted to the locking-bar by means of the hand-lever 16., fulcrumed upon the outside of the car-body at 17 near one end of the car and connected by link 11 with the lockingbar.

The doors are preferably connected with the respective side wall members by hookand-eye hinges 18, the pins or books thereof being of sufficient length to permit any door to be lifted on its hinges sufficiently to raise the locking-plate 10 above and free from the hook 12 on the locking-bar, whereby the locked doors can be individually unlocked, operated, and relocked.

Any known form of laterally-movable door may be employed for closing the lower portion of the side opening of the car, and the doors may be locked in any known manner, and any known form of vertically-movable panel may be employed to close the upper portion of such side opening.

The combination of laterally-movable doors for the lower portions of the side openings with vertically-movable panels for the upper portions thereof permits the extension of the side openings each from the sill to the lintel or shoulder of the car without overweight-ling the upper portion of the car, as in cases where such openings are wholly closed by verticallymovable panels.

In using the preferred form of panel shown I preferably provide in the bottom of the pocket 7 a separate recess or socket 19, adapted to receive the lower end of the panel which last enters the pocket, which is the lower panel used to close the side opening. The sockets 19 do not extend to the full width of the pocket, but are formed to leave along the end wall of the pocket an outwardly and downwardly inclined surface 20, as shown in adapt them to enter said sockets 19, as shown at 21, whereby the lower panel when deflected said patent, adapted to receive and support the lower edge of upper panel. I The corner portions of the lower panel are cut away to serves to prevent displacement of the other panel.

The car-body is provided with end openings or doorways 22, closed by sliding doors 23, arranged diagonally opposite each other, each adjacent to a side wall of the car, whereby passengers may enter and leave the car when the side openings are closed. In this connection I have shown a novel form of seat construction which permits the formation of an unobstructed aisle along either side of the car in line with one of said end openings. This seat construction comprises a row of stationary seats 24, each of less width than the interior of the car, arranged along the longitudinal middle of the car, and in telescopic relation with each of said stationary seats a pair of extension-seats 25, arranged at opposite ends thereof. The extension-seats have their inner ends adapted to slide in ways 26, formed beneath the stationary seat, while their outer ends are severally supported by a standard 27, having a roller-foot 28, adapted to rest upon the floor.

The relative dimensions of the stationary and extension seats are such that only one of the extension-seats can be fully contained within the stationary seat at a time, and the parts are so arranged that when one of the extensionseats is forced into one end of a stationary seat it automatically engages and forces out from the other end of said stationary seat the other extension-seat, as shown in the broken-away portion of Fig. 2. It is possible with this construction to at all times leave an unobstructed aisle between the stationary seats and one or the other of the side walls of the car, which aisle is in line with an,

end opening 22 and can be used by passengers entering or leaving the car by said end opening. The seats can be made reversible by having the backs 30 of the stationary seats hinged at 31 upon stationary brackets 32 and the outer end of the back 33 of each extension-seat in like manner hinged at 34 upon the bracket 35,formed integral with the rollersupported standard 27, the inner end of said back of the extension-seat being adapted to telescope within the back of the stationary seat. Both of the extension-seats can be extended across the side aisles when increased seating capacity is desired. The stationary seats 36 may be provided in the diagonallyopposite corners of the car not occupied by the doorways 22.

The roller-curtain 37 is adapted to travel in the grooves 38 in the posts on opposite'sides of a side opening to temporarily close said opening in the usual manner.

When the car is used as a closed car, ventilation can be provided by opening the ventilator 39 in each .end of the car, the openings so formed communicating with the space heneath the hood 40 of the vestibule 41. The vertical sides of said hood are provided with openings covered by netting 42.

As a means for retarding the descent ofthe of the sash and its engagement withsaid inher side wall 49 of the groove to ride up the incline 46 theouter side of the sash will be forced tightly against the outer side wall 50 of said groove to-frictionally retard the do scent of the sash. A cap 51 extends across the open end of the housing 48 just outside the line of the grooved post and serves to retain the roller within the housing whenthe sash is located in a raised position in a pocket in the upper part of the car.

When it is desired to use the car as a closed car for a considerable period, auxiliary panels 53 may be detachably secured in the spaces between the side wall-sections 8, as by the buttons 54.

In Fig. 12 of the drawings I have shown my improved seat construction adapted for use to temporarily block or obstructlower portions of the side openings of the car. For this purpose I dispose the seats in line with 1 the respective side openings instead of in line with the wall-sections which alternate with such openings, the arrangement being such that when an extension-seat neighboring one of said side openings is extended it serves to i block or obstruct said opening, preventing theuse of said side opening for the entrance and exit of passengers. Thisarrangement of seats makes it unnecessary when an open car is desired to close the doors on either sideof the car regardless of the direction inwhich the car is moving.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a convertible car, the combination with the car-body provided with side openings; of horizontally-movable doors for closing the lower portions of the respective side openings; and vertically-movable"panels for closing the upper portions of said'side openopenings above said doors.

3. In a oonvertiblefoar, the combination with the car-body provided with side openings, and having side members on opposite sides of said side openings; of doors severally hinged to the lower portions of the respective side members-to swing upon a vertical axis and panels adapted to slide in vertical grooves in the upper portions of said side members.

4. In a convertible car, the combination with the car-body provided with side openings, and having side members on opposite sides of the respective side openings; of doors severally hinged to the respective side members adapted to swing upon a vertical axis; locking mechanism adapted to engage the respective doors in their open orclosed position; and means for simultaneously operating the locking mechanismof a series of said doors on the same side of the car, substantially as described.

5. In a convertible car, the combination with the car-body provided with side openings, and having side members on opposite sides of the'respective side openings; of doors severally hinged to the respective side menibers adapted to swing upon a verticalax is;

locking-plates on the lower ends of the respective doors; a locking-bar extending longitudinally of the side of the car adjacent to the lower ends of theseveral doors on that side; means for communicating reciprocating slide movements to said bar from one end of the car; and hooks on said bar adapted to engage the locking-plates on the lower ends of said doors respectively. V

6. In a convertible car, the combination with the car-body provided with side openings, and having side members onopposite sidesof the respective side openings; of swingdoors a locking-bar; locking members adapted to be simultaneously operatedfby said locking-bar engageable with depending portions ofthe respective doors on one side of thecar whereby all the'doors of said series can be simultaneously locked or simultaneously unlocked; means for operating said lockingbar; and hook-and-eye hinge connections between said doors and the respective side'members whereby an individual door can be lifted on its hinges to release it fromthe control of the locking member, substantially as"described.

7; In a car, the combination with the ear-' body having an aisle along each side thereof;

of a transverse seat fixed between said aisles; and a pairof movable seats in telescopic connection with the opposite endsof said fixed seat, extensible across said respectiveaisles 8. In a car, the combination with the carbody having an aisle along each side thereof {a a of a transverse seat'fixed between said aisles; and a pair of movable seats in telescopic connection with the opposite ends of the fixed seat, and of a combined length greater than that ofthe fixed seat, whereby a telescoping} I movement of either movable seat cause'sthe' I same to engage and extend theother movable seat. 9. In a car, the

combination withfihe' ear and a movable standard fixed to the other end of the movable seat.

10. In a convertible car, the combination with the car-body provided with side openings; and end openings diagonally opposite each other, and having an aisle along each side in line with the respective end openings; of movable members forclosing the respective side and end openings; transverse seats fixed between said aisles; and a pair of movable seats in telescopic connection with the opposite ends of each of said fixed seats extensible across said respective aisles.

11. In a convertible car, the combination with the car-body having members adjacent to a side opening each provided with a slideway-groove and at the upper end with a laterally-extended pocket communicating with said groove, having an outwardly and downwardly inclined bottom surface, the bottom being partly cutaway to form near said groove a recess to receive the lower edge of a panel, said inclined surface extending continuously from said groove back of said recess to the outer side of the pocket; of a pair of panels movable along said groove capable of deflection into said pocket, the upper panel having its lower end of a width to overlap said inclined bottom surface and being adapted to be guided thereby past said recess, and the lower panel being cut away at its lower corner to adapt it to enter said recess, substantially as described.

12. In a car, the combination with the carbody having a side wall provided with an opening for the exit and entrance of passengers, and having an aisle extending along said side wall; of a transverse seat fixed in line with said opening on the opposite side of said aisle; and a movable seat in telescopic connection with said fixed seat extensible across said aisle to obstruct said opening.

13. In a car, the combination with the carbody having in its opposite sides openings in line with each other for the exit and entrance of passengers, and an aisle along each of said sides; of transverse seats fixed between said aisles in line with the respective side open ings and a pair of movable seats in telescopic connection with the opposite ends of each fixed seat extensible across the respective aisles to obstruct the respective openings in line with said fixed seat.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of June, 1903.

HENRY W. COVERT.

Witnesses:

FRANK C. CURTIS, E. M. OREILLY 

